Luke Richardson’s Strongman career has been very turbulent so far, as he encountered many setbacks on his path but still established himself as one of the strongest men in the world. However, the recent passing of Pa O’Dwyer, which left the community in shock, was particularly difficult for Luke, as the former Ireland’s Strongest Man was his best friend. Consequently, Luke decided to withdraw from the upcoming 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic and the 2026 Britain’s Strongest Man.
Luke Richardson has suffered countless injuries in recent years, often leaving everyone wondering if he would be able to compete at the professional level again. However, his competitive spirit led him to success once again and allowed him to claim the title of 2025 Europe’s Strongest Man.
However, Luke Richardson recently experienced one of the biggest losses in his life, having to say goodbye to his best friend, Pa O’Dwyer. The emotional toll of this tragic loss has placed Luke in a position where he is unable to compete at his full potential.
” I’m withdrawing from Britain’s Strongest Man and the Arnold Classic.
The loss of my best friend is just too much. I cannot brute force my way through this like I’ve done in the past, I don’t have the strength in me to do it. This pain is unbearable.
I’m going to take these next few months day by day with the goal of surviving and acclimatising to this very strange new “normal” without you here.
This is not what Pa would have wanted, but I know he’d understand.
I will take a knee and come back when I’m ready and when I do it will be with the strength of two men.
Please c**t if you can hear me, help guide me through this. I need you now more than ever.
I love you and I miss you” wrote Luke on Instagram.
Check out Luke Richardson’s announcement here:
Luke Richardson is also named in the 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man lineup. So, since he did not mention the competition in his statement, he might still try to defend his title. The competition is scheduled to take place on April 11th in Leeds, England. So, Luke still has three months left to prepare for the competition.
Luke Richardson is not the only man who withdrew from the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic, as Hafthor Bjornsson was the first man to cancel his appearance. ‘The Mountain’ revealed that he still hasn’t fully recovered from his shoulder injury and that he plans on focusing on breaking the Deadlift World Record at the 2026 Enhanced Games on May 24th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tom Stoltman also announced his withdrawal from the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic just days later. The reason behind Tom’s decision was his focus on the 2026 World’s Strongest Man, where he intends to pursue his fourth title. He pointed out that travelling to the USA would take a big toll on him. So, he will first appear at the 2026 Britain’s Strongest Man and will then have over a dozen weeks to prepare for the WSM.
Pa O’Dwyer’s passing united the community, with thousands of people coming together and contributing to the fundraiser for his family, which ended up gathering over $250,000. It is clear that those closest to Pa were affected the most, as seen by Luke Richardson’s decision to take a break from competing in the upcoming period. There is no doubt, however, that Luke will be even more motivated to battle for the most coveted titles once he returns to the competition floor.
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